Growth inhibition of cultured fibroblasts by extracts from human dermis

In incised wounds and deep partial thickness burns the resident fibroblasts in the dermis remain inactive. The fibroblasts responsible for repair at the dermal level come from the subdermal layer. The hypothesis is that the inactivity of the dermal fibroblasts is due to an inhibitory substance in the dermis. To test this hypothesis extracts were made of normal dermis and of mature scar tissue and these extracts were applied to fibroblasts growing in monolayer culture. Both extracts and cells were obtained from human tissue. It was shown that extracts, particularly the extract made with citric acid/citrate buffer, pH 3.5, caused inhibition of fibroblast growth. Present evidence suggests that the active principle may be a proteoglycan.